Notes

CONFLICT Parents: Father: Robert Sir Weckes b. About 1581 in
Staines, Middlesex County, England and Mother: Sarah Enderlry b.
About 1585 in Staines, Middlesex County, England;
Birth: Before 1620 in Stanes, Middlesex County, England
Death: Bet 1688 and 1689 in Edgartown, Dukes County,
Massachusetts
Mary Lynde (Wife) b. About 1629 in Dunstable, Bedford County,
England

Vol II, Annals of Edgartown, pp 118-22 in Banks' Martha's
Vineyard.
William Weeks participated in the first recorded division of
lands in Edgartown, May 8, 1653, indicating a prior residence of
some duration, and on April 10, 1655, was granted land 'near the
pines in the middle of the island.' That he was married at this
time is indicated by a deposition of Goodwife Weeks, dated Dec.
25, 1655, and it is probable that his children were either
brought here when he settled or were born shortly after. His
name appears in 1656, 1657, 1659, and 1660, in which year on
February 22, he was sued by one William Lambert. This same year
he is mentioned as a proprietor of one share in the town and was
elected constable. That he kept an ordinary or inn seems to be
indicated by the following entry on the town records, as well as
a later one to be referred to: William Weeks is fined for
selling of strong liquor: paying ten shillings: to Thomas Mayhew
14 s & t(w)o bottles of liquor to the townsmen and further he
doth promise for himself and family that they shall no more be
sold by him or them [28 January 1661, Edgartown Records, 1, 145]

The next year William Weeks had some lawsuits on his hands,
suing Thomas Jones for his passage from Rhode Island, and in
turn was sued by Jones for weaving done. In both cases he
received the verdict. His name is not in the train band list of
1662, perhaps he was exempted on account of his occupation, but
he took part in the division of Quanomica the next year, and was
plaintiff in a number of suits against Robert Codman, Richard
Arey, Nicholas Norton and William Vinson.

His name occurs in the records each year following in minor
connections till 1667, when on November 18 of that year, while
making a trading trip from the Vineyard in his 'vessel fo 15
tunnes, laden with corn, pork, hides, tobacco, wheat, vegetables
and other miscellaneous freight,' he was wrecked at Quick's Hole
and his vessel was seized and looted by the Indians of the
Elizabeth Islands. His son William was on board, and according
to the story of their experiences, testified to by them they
were very badly treated. 'They tooke away a new hatt and a new
paire of shooes from my sonne,' he said, and 'a suite of
cloathes from me, 2 pre of shooes (and) all my tooles.' (New
York Col. Doc., III 168) John Dixey 'brought the deponents with
his sloop out of their bondage' and carried the news to the
Governor of New York, who wrote back to Governor Mayhew to deal
with the piratical Indians for their unlawful acts and require
restitution of the vessel and all the stolen cargo. It was not
until 1671 that he had his lands recorded on the town books, and
the following is a copy of his estate as then held by him:

Desember the 11th 1671 The Petickelers of the parcells of Land
Granted unto William Weeks by the Inhabitance of Edgartown at
the Great Harbour of Marthas Vinyard and Ordered to Be Recorded
the Day above writen one whole Comonage of the thirty seven
Shears with all preveledges there unto Belonging as fish and
whale: one house Lott of Twenty Poles Broad Bounded By Thomas
Bayes on the South and Richard Sarsen on the North Being Ten
acres More of Less: the the Line Ten acres eleven Poles and a
half Breadth Bounded By Thomas Bayes on the West Richard Sarson
on the East: Land Bought of Peter Foulger one Neck Lying West to
the Planting feild Being Eight acres More or Less: with one acre
and a half of Meadow at Sanchacantackett on eshear of Meadow:
one Shear at Felix Neck: another Shear at Meachemus feild: one
Shear at Quanomica: one Shear at Cracketuxett: One Devidant
Lying at the Great Neck Being Twenty five acres more or Less
Lying betwixt Thomas Peases and Mrs Blands: with one thach Lott
ajoyning Part upon my said Devidant at the Neck: at Chapequideck
one Lott of three acres More or Less Bounded By John Pease on
the North and young Mr. Mayhew on the South: two acres of Meadow
Lying on the South East Side of Chapequideok More or Less: one
acres of Meadow on the East Side of the Planting feild Lying
Northward of Thomas Doggetts Be it More or Less: These all
Granted By this Town and Purchased of Indians and one twenty
fifth part . . . .

He had acquired some land at Homes Hole before the first record
of it appears (Feb. 9, 1680), as that is the only way to account
for his appointment on a committee in Tisbury on Jan. 16, 1678,
to view every man's lot and equalize it in the matter of swamp
lands. It is likely he was on the committee as an outsider, with
Isaac Chase and Thomas Mayhew, to deal impartially as
arbitrator. The next year he was juryman at Nantucket, and was
plaintiff in a suit against John Daggett for trespass.(Nantucket
Recorts, I: Dukes Court Records, I. In 1680 he served agian as a
juror, and in 1681 Arthur Biven entered a complaint against
Weeks as follows: The 'said Buiven caled for a gill of Rum &
they brought half water and the said Weekes had no lodgeing for
him nor food for his horse.' (Dukes Court Records, I. June 28,
1681.) This complaint shows that Weeks was still keeping a
tavern. The town and county records give evidence of his
activities in business and litigation in 1684, 1685 and 1687,
not necessary here to enumerate. He sold to Isaac Chase on July
25, 1688, his real estate interests at Homes Hole, and his last
appearance on the records is another sales on December 29, same
year.

Between that date and Aug. 3, 1689, he had died, as his widow
Mary sold the home lot and he is referred to as then deceased.
(Dukes Deeds, III, 41). This sale of her interest to Simon
Athearn resulted in litigation with the sons, William and
Richard, who claimed ownership, and the court gave them
possession. (These sons were then living in Falmouth, where
children are recorded to William and another son John.) There is
no record of a will or administration of William Weeks' estate.
His son Samuel had a grant of land in the town in 1681,
consisting of ten acres on the north side of the old mill path,
but he sold it in 1688 to Benjamin Smith, and is not further
known as a resident here. With the death of William, Sr., the
family name ceased on the island until 1710, when Joshua Weeks
came here and bought the house lot formerly owned by George
Martin of Edgartown and Newport. Josua later settled in Tisbury,
and his descendants resided there and in Chilmark until within
recent years.

Dr. Banks in the History of Martha's Vineyard which he wrote
believes William came from Staines on the north bank of the
Thames in the County of Middlesex about 15 miles west of London.
Dr. Banks believes the name in England might have been either
Atwick or Wickes. William first appears in the records of
Martha's Vineyard on May 8, 1653. He was a large land owner and
a tavern keeper. He died betwen Dec. 29. 1688 and Aug. 3, 1689
when his widow sold his home.